This invention is directed to audio/video playback systems and, more particularly, to audio/video playback systems wherein the works to be played back are stored in digital form.
Currently used and previously developed media, including vinyl records, audio cassettes, compact disks (CDs), videotapes, and digital video disks (DVDs), all require motors to move the storage media as it is read by a player. While some currently used and previously developed media allow multiple media to be accessed by a player, others do not. For example, CD players that store a large number of CDs are available. Other media, such as audio and video cassettes, are usually moved into and out of a player one at a time.
While, as noted above, some currently used and previously developed media can be stored in large players, for example, CD players that hold up to 100 CDs are available, the internal mechanisms of such players are noisy and the players experience wear. Multi-disk storage mechanisms for automobiles are also available. While such CD players can hold several CDs, because of vibration and moving parts, such CD players are also prone to mechanical wear. Further, CD players, particularly CD players designed for use in automobiles, require anti-shock technology and special construction in order to eliminate skipping.
One disadvantage of multiple media players, such as large and small CD players, is the inability of such players to present to a user information in user-understandable form. For example, a typical music CD player identifies the CDs in the player, but not in user-understandable form. The CD content is often displayed as xe2x80x9ctrack 1,xe2x80x9d xe2x80x9ctrack 2,xe2x80x9d etc. While a user may be able to identify each CD and its content if the CD player is connected to a suitably programmed device, such as a computer, conventional CD players do not in and of themselves provide information regarding the content of CDs in the player in a human-understandable form. Further, CDs and DVDs require careful handling so as to not scratch their reading surface. Such media also have the disadvantage that heat warps them. Magnetic tape media has the disadvantage that it wears as a result of contact with the reading heads. Further, magnetic tapes are prone to environmental damage, i.e., damage related to the environment in which they are utilized.
Thus, a need exists for an audio/video playback system that has the capacity to store a large number of works for selective playback. Preferably, such a system will include no moving parts and will have essentially unlimited expandability. Also, preferably, the media employed by such a system will not be subject to wear, scratching, warping, etc. The present invention is directed to providing such an audio/video playback system.
In accordance with this invention, a solid-state audio/video playback system comprising a module player and one or more module packs is provided. Each module pack is constructed to receive a plurality of solid-state modules, each of which includes solid, read-only memory integrated circuit components (e.g., ROM, PROM, EPROM, EEPROM, etc.) that digitally store audio and/or video works such as a series of songs, a movie, etc. The modules are insertable and removable from slots formed in the module packs. Each module pack includes an input bus and an output bus. The input and output buses intersect the slots so as to make contact with modules mounted in the slots. The module packs are connectable together in a daisy chain manner with one end of the chain being connected to the module player. The resulting virtually endless, expandable bus allows a collection of audio/video works, such as a classic music library or a movie library, to be stored for selection by the module player based on a user""s instructions.
In accordance with further aspects of this invention, the modules include control circuits that respond to digital commands received from the module player. In one form of the invention, upon power-up or a new module being installed, the control circuits of all of the modules are reset. Thereafter, a first unique given code is transmitted by the module player and stored in a given code register included in the first module. Next, a search code that corresponds to the given code is transmitted by the module player and stored in a search code register included in the same module. After the search code is stored in the search code register, a confirmation code is sent to the module player. Thereafter, the module player uploads information from the first module that identifies the content of the first module, i.e., the content stored in the read-only memory elements. This series of steps is sequentially applied to all modules until the given code register of all modules store a unique given code and information regarding the module""s content has been uploaded to the module player for access by a user.
In accordance with still further aspects of this invention, when a user selects a work to be played, the module player sends a reset code that resets the search code registers of all of the modules. The module player then sends the unique given code that corresponds to the module containing the work to be played to all of the search code registers. The module whose given code register stores the unique given code that corresponds to the unique given code stored in the search code registers sends a confirmation code to the module player. Thereafter, the confirming module enables access to the read-only memory integrated circuit components, which produce a digital data stream containing the work to be played that is sent to the module player for playback.
In accordance with alternative aspects of this invention, rather than the module player installing a unique given code in given code registers, each of the modules includes a permanent given code that uniquely identifies the module.
As will be readily appreciated from the foregoing description, the invention provides a solid-state audio/video playback system that overcomes the disadvantages of prior art audio/video playback systems. The invention includes media in the form of modules that include integrated circuit components, namely read-only memory type integrated circuit components (e.g., ROM, PROM, EPROM, and EEPROM circuits) for storing audio and video works. Because the storage medium is solid-state, moving parts are not required. Further, such storage media is not subject to wear and scratching. Furthermore, incorporating such storage medium in environmentally protected modules eliminates or substantially reduces temperature and other environmental damage.